Automatic step-ladder brace-rod



(No Model.)

J. N. SAYLOR.

7 AUTOMATIC STEP LADDER BRAQE ROD. No. 247,520. Patented Sept. 27,1881..

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JOHN N. SAYIIOR, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

AUTOMATIC STEP-LADDER BRACE-ROD,

SPEOIFIGATIONTorming part of Letters Patent No. 247,520, dated September27, 1881. Application filed December 18, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN N.SAYLOR, a citizenof the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberlandand State of Maine, have invented a certain new and useful ImprovedAutomatic Step-Ladder, of which the following is a specification Myinvention relates to improvements in step-ladders which are made to restagainst a support or prop, the ladder forming one side of an angle andthe prop the other side thereof.

The object of my invention is to make the prop or supporta-utomatic inits action, in taking its proper position in reference to theladder whendesired for use, the prop being not only thrown outl'rom the ladder, butalso firmly held in the proper position while in use by the means hereindescribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure1 is a vertical elevation of the side of a step-ladder with my inventionattached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the spring. Fig. 3 is a sideview of the same.

Same letters show like parts.

At A, Fig. 1, is shown the ladder, and B is the prop or support by whichit is held in position.

G is the coil or elastic part of the spring, of which E is the arm,extending between the ladder A and its support B. At F, Fig. l, is showna slot cut in the prop B, in which the part I), Fig. 2, moves up anddown, as required, the bend c on one side anddon the other side of theprop B retaining the spring-arm in its proper place.

At a, Fig. 1, is shown adevice which,'catch-- ing over the part b of thespring when the lad der and prop are shut together, serves as a hook toresist the elasticity of the coil 0, and thus keeps the whole deviceconveniently closed.

The side spring may be coiled at the end attached to the ladder in themanner following: After the coils are made a projecting end of wire,lelt for the purpose, starting from the central coil, is brought down atright angles to the shaft of the spring, over all the coils,

. being bent so as to pass over them, and then outside of the coils isagain bent inward toward the side of the ladder and firmly driven intothe wood. The part passing over the coils,

with the part driven into the ladder, forms a stop for the spring-armpassing toward the support, so that it will come down to ahorizontalposition. and no farther.

The operationof my invention is as follows: The ladder and prop beingclosed together, as above described, when itis wanted for use the hookat is disengaged from the part I) of the spring-arm, which, impelled bythe coil 0, drops downward in the slot F to its bottom, at the same timethrowing the prop B away from the ladder A. When the part b has reachedthe bottom of the slot F the arm E is nearly horizontal and the ladderA- and'prop B will be held firmly in position. When it is desired toclose the ladder b is passed up the slot F until B and A are againbrought near enough to each other to permit the hook at to again engageb. Each side of the step-ladder must be provided with these devices, toinsure steadiness in position.

I consider the above the best way of using the automatic spring; but ifit should, for any reason, be desirable to do so, the slot F may beomitted, and in lieu thereof the parts 0, b, and d of the spring mayclasp around the body of the support and slip up and down upon it, whenopening and shutting, and be retained in its position, when in use, byresting upon a slat or round connecting the two parts ofthe support, inwhich case the end of d may be turned down to limit the outward swing ofthe prop. The samekindof automatic spring may be used uponlibrary-steps, if desired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a step-ladder, the spring 0, having the arm E and bends c, b, andd, constructed substantially in the manner and for the purposes setforth.

2. The combination, in a step-ladder, of the slot F in the support withthe coil 0, arm E, bends c, b, and (l, and the hooks to, in the mannerand for the purposes described.

JOHN N. SAYLOR.

Witnesses D. W. SGRIBNER, 7 WM. W. GRAVES.

